


Follow the Bloodstain Trail

by diamondforger



Series: Whumptober 2020 [20]
Category: Kamen Rider Saber
Genre: Blood Loss, M/M, Stitches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27107632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamondforger/pseuds/diamondforger
Summary: Desperate times call for questionable medical choices after Touma gets hurt.
Relationships: Fukamiya Kento/Kamiyama Touma
Series: Whumptober 2020 [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945867
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Follow the Bloodstain Trail

**Author's Note:**

> No 20. TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE  
>  **Lost** | **Field Medicine** | Medieval

Touma hadn’t expected “The Minotaur’s Labyrinth" to be an especially hospitable place. The dark stone maze with no light and no sign of life was the opposite of friendly. Even with the orb of light Kento summoned, they could barely see ten feet ahead of them. He just hadn’t expected the Minotaur to appear out the darkness without any warning. And he hadn’t expected the creature to charge him down.

Maybe he should have expected the fact that there was only one entrance in and out. An entrance they’d lost in their scramble to escape the charging monster. It chased them deep into the maze before they managed to find a side path and hide as the Minotaur passed them.

“I still have the thread.” Kento fidgeted with the ball of twine they'd been using to navigate before the monster appeared, twirling the severed end between his fingers. “Not sure how useful it’ll be now.”

“At least it’ll keep us from retracing our footsteps,” Touma said with an optimistic grin. His hand was pressed against his side in a way he hoped read as casual. His shirt was damp under his fingers, but the bright red material and lack of lighting hid the blood. He'd been hit by the beast's horns. He'd barely noticed it in scramble, but now the pain was starting to kick in.

It was fine. He’d worry about it when they got out. It wasn’t that much blood.

“I suppose you’re right,” Kento lay the severed end on the ground and started walking in the opposite direction from where the Minotaur had run.

They had to retrace their footsteps, or at least try to. Touma winced as he moved forward. It hurt to walk, but he had to keep moving forward.

He followed behind Kento, looking back every step for fear that the monster would appear again. For a massive beast, it had been so quiet.

“Hey, what’s this?”

Touma looked up to see Kento kneeling by series of bright red spots on the floor.

“This blood is fresh,” Kento said, turning to Touma, “but we’re the only one’s that have been here, right?”

Touma winced. Blood was leaking between his fingers. The blood on the floor was his. He knew that. It looked worse than it was. Really, he was fine.

“I think we should follow the trail,” he said quickly. It was convenient in a way. They could follow his blood to the sight of the attack. 

Kento looked up in confusion only for his eyes to trail down to Touma body to his hand, now unmistakably covered in blood.

“You’re hurt!” Kento moved like lightning. Before Touma could come up with a response, the man’s hands were on him, tugging away Touma’s bloody hand and tugging the shirt up.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Touma didn’t want to look down. He knew it was fine. Of course it was fine. Looking at it would only make him worry.

And he was too distracted by looking at Kento. He was so close, and so warm. Touma was exhausted and it would be so nice to fall into Kento's arms and just sleep. 

“You’re loosing too much blood,” Kento snapped as he pressed his hand against the wound. “We have ways to heal at the library, but for now we need to stop the bleeding.”

“It’s not that bad.” Touma tried to laugh it off, but laughing hurt too much and he cut off with harsh grunt. The walls of the labyrinth were moving and shifting around him. Had they always done that? Kento didn't seem to see it.

“Stitches would be best, but we don’t have the tools for that,” Kento didn’t entertain Touma’s comment, “we might have to cauterize it.”

“I have a needle and thread,” Touma interjected quickly. If they were going to do this, he’d rather deal with stitches than fire. 

“Why?”

"I need to fix clothes sometimes," Touma said with a shrug, "Or make costumes on the fly. I've gotten a lot of use out of carrying a sewing kit."

"Ah," Kento bit back a smile, despite the seriousness of the situation. His smile was so cute. Touma almost leaned forward and kissed him, but Kento cut off that thought as he kept talking, "but we don't have anything that'd work as antiseptic. It's risky, but-"

"I have that too."

Kento paused. "Why do you have that?"

"I've just got some alcohol swabs and bandages. Between Mei and I, well, I've gotten a lot of use out of having some medical supplies on me," Touma started rooting through his numerous pockets. He'd always thought it just made sense that if you had a lot of pockets, they should be put to good use. 

By the time he'd found the sewing kit and swabs, Touma was having difficultly staying upright. Kento had been right, he was loosing too much blood. It was better to deal with this now. 

"Lay down," Kento said, pulling off his own jacket and rolling up his sleeves. His hands shook as he took the materials. 

"Have you ever done this before?" Touma asked as he lowered himself to the ground. 

"Daishinji taught me how."

"So... that's a no."

Kento averted his eyes. "If you'd rather try cauterizing..."

"No no no, just get it over with."

Kento gritted his teeth as he struggled to thread the needle. His hands were slippery with blood, the lighting was poor, and he was shaking with nerves. 

Just watching Kento made Touma tense. He closed his eyes and took steady breath as Kento fumbled around. 

"Okay, are you ready?" Kento said, hand rested on Touma's ribs, right above the wound. 

"I already said, just get it over with." Touma was trying not to think about how nice the way Kento was touching him was. Because it wasn't nice. They were both covered in blood and Touma could barely think.

There was a pause and the needle stabbed into Touma's skin. He winced, sucking in his stomach. The movement only made the pain worse. 

"Try and stay still," Kento said, "Please, I don't want to hurt you any more."

"Easier said than done." Touma bit back another wince. It was hard not to move the muscles near where Kento was working. They just naturally rose and fell when he breathed. He focused on taking slow, shallow breaths as Kento continued his work. 

"It's going to be okay," Kento was whispering, more to himself than Touma, "I'll be quick. Just hold out a little longer."

The pain was only getting worse the more Kento worked. Touma could feel the wound closing, and it was slowing the bleeding, but the stitches were crooked and pulled at his skin unevenly. 

That wasn't Kento's fault. He was inexperienced, and anyone would struggle in this environment. It didn't make the experience any more bearable. 

There was a particularly sharp stab made Touma cry out, hand reaching out for something to grab. He latched onto Kento's shirt. "Almost done?" 

"Yes," Kento said, "Hold on. Just a couple more."

Touma clenched his jaw so hard it hurt as his hand dug into Kento's side. It hurt so much. All he wanted was for it to be over so he could sleep. 

"Done!" Kento broke the thread. 

Touma relaxed for a moment, but Kento wasn't completely finished. He was wiping down the wound with the alcohol swabs, which stung, but were hardly worse than anything else Touma had already experienced. 

He barely registered the sound of tearing fabric as Kento tore his coat to form a makeshift bandage over the stitches. 

The pain was fading away as Touma felt himself floating off to sleep. The floor of the labyrinth was cold, but surprisingly comfortable. Would it be so bad to just drift off for a bit?

"Touma!"

Touma's eyes shot open as Kento's hand cupped his cheek. Kento's face was inches from his, blood streaked over his cheeks and eyes shining with tears. 

"Don't... don't go to sleep," Kento said, "Not yet, okay? We've got to get out here."

So close... Touma could just pull himself up and kiss... Pain shot through his chest as he tried to close the distance, and Touma went limp again.

"I'm not sure I can walk."

"That's okay," Kento sniffled, hand running through Touma's hair. Touma could feel the blood sticking in his hair even as he sighed into the touch. "I can carry you." 

Touma was expecting arms to lift him, but instead he found something warm and soft under him. Kento's carpet raised him off the ground gently. 

"I can find the entrance," Kento took Touma's hand in both of his. "I'll get us out of here, just stay awake, please."

Touma wanted to sleep. His body felt heavy and his head light. But he needed to fight it. He needed to fight it for Kento. As they started down the dark hallway, there was only thing Touma could think of that'd keep him focused and awake. 

"Say Kento, have you ever heard the tale of 1001 Nights?"


End file.
